The President
Le Président
‫ﺍﻝﺭﺋﻴﺲ‬
THE STL SIX MONTHS ON:
A BIRD’S EYE VIEW
1.
Introduction
1.
This report is intended to offer a succinct and unvarnished overview of the activities
of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (“STL”) in the six months elapsed since its
establishment. I am submitting it in the exercise of the powers conferred on me by Article
10(1) of the STL Statute, whereby “The President of the Special Tribunal, in addition to his
or her judicial functions, shall […] be responsible for [the Tribunal’s] effective functioning
and the good administration of justice.”
2.
This Report is distinct from – but complementary to – both the monthly reports the
STL makes to the Management Committee (“MC”) and the Annual Report which I will
submit in March 2010 to the Secretary-General of the UN and to the Government of Lebanon
pursuant to Article 10(2) of the STL’s Statute.
3.
I intend this Report as a means to ensure transparency and accountability vis-à-vis the
Management Committee, the Government of Lebanon and other States supporting the work
of the STL, but also as a way to stimulate within the Tribunal a constant and critical selfassessment: a sort of taking the pulse of the Tribunal, which should help it to achieve greater
efficiency.
4.
The Report is written through my eyes as President, although I have much relied on
the information kindly provided by the other three Organs – the Registry, the Office of the
Prosecutor and the Office of the Defence.
2.
Chambers
5.
The Tribunal’s Chambers are vested with three essential tasks: judicial, regulatory
and managerial. In this first period the fulfilment of judicial tasks was limited to the issue of
the four Lebanese Generals being detained in Beirut in connection with the Hariri case. In
contrast, the Judges have intensely discharged their regulatory function by adopting various
sets of Rules and other normative instruments. Finally, the Judges have frozen any
recruitment of legal staff and transferred all the financial resources thus saved to the
Prosecution so as to enhance the investigative work of the STL in the next year.
1
(A)
Judicial Output
6.
Article 4(2) of the Statute provides that within two months of the Prosecutor’s taking
office the Tribunal shall request the Lebanese authorities to defer to its competence, so that
the Tribunal may decide on whether to indict or release the persons detained in Lebanon in
connection with the investigations into the Hariri assassination. Acting promptly, on 25
March 2009 the Prosecutor (who had taken office on 1 March 2009) made an application to
the Pre-Trial Judge for him to request the Lebanese authorities to defer to the Tribunal’s
competence on this case. The Lebanese authorities complied and notified that four persons
were being held in detention in connection with the Hariri case. Between 27 March and 29
April 2009 the Pre-Trial Judge issued four Orders on the matter, leading – consistently with
the request of the Prosecutor – to the four persons being released because of lack of sufficient
evidence to justify their continued detention.
7.
On 20 April 2009 the Head of the Defence Office requested, on behalf of the four
persons detained in Lebanon in connection with the Hariri case, a modification of the
conditions of detention. The following day the President issued an Order requesting the
Lebanese authorities to grant certain rights to the four detainees, pending any ruling of the
Pre-Trial Judge on their final status.
(B)
Regulatory Output
8.
As stated above, in this initial period the Judges have adopted various normative acts
that lay the groundwork for any future judicial action:
(i)
Rules of Procedure and Evidence (followed by an Explanatory Memorandum
issued by the President with a view to compendiously setting out the highlights
of the Rules as well as the rationale behind their main novelties). In addition, a
guidebook on the Tribunal has been drafted which concisely and vividly
summarizes the main features of the procedure before the STL, and offers a
plain and easily accessible explanatory tool to national judges, lawyers,
practitioners, students and all those interested in the Tribunal.
In June 2009 the Judges unanimously adopted by correspondence (under a
special expedited procedure envisaged in Rule 5(F)) a number of amendments.
The objectives of these amendments included the following: to streamline the
rules and ensure that they better translate the letter and spirit of the relevant
provisions of the STL Statute; to ensure the consistency of the amended rules
with other relevant rules; to encourage cooperation with the STL to the extent
possible by States and organizations, as well as sources of sensitive
information; to meet operational needs of the ongoing investigation; and to
protect the confidentiality of information during the investigative stage for the
effective conduct of the investigation and the protection of any persons.
(ii)
Rules of Detention.
(iii)
Rules on Assignment of Defence Counsel.
2
9.
(C)
Four international instruments have also been drafted and adopted:
(i)
Agreement with the ICRC (on the supervision of detention by the STL, which
entered into force on 12 June 2009).
(ii)
Agreement with INTERPOL (on cooperation and access to INTERPOL’s
databases and information systems, which was adopted and is awaiting
approval by the INTERPOL General Assembly in October 2009).
(iii)
Interim Agreement with INTERPOL (in order to initiate cooperation with
INTERPOL immediately, an “interim” agreement was negotiated and signed
at the end of August).
(iv)
Draft Agreement on Legal Cooperation with States. This Draft Agreement has
been submitted to a number of States (those of the Middle East as well as
those States where large Lebanese communities live) for discussions and
negotiations aimed at prompting as many States as possible to sign and ratify
the Agreement.
Managerial Tasks
10.
The President has issued a document intended to illustrate to the Management
Committee the basic philosophy behind the Tribunal’s work as well as the principal goals that
it intends to pursue: the Principles to Guide the Court.
11.
With the support of the Management Committee, the Plenary decided that the VicePresident (a Lebanese Judge) should assume his functions as soon as possible, in addition to
the two Judges who, pursuant to the Secretary-General’s view, took office immediately after
the commencement of the Tribunal’s activities (the President and the Pre-Trial Judge). As a
result, only 3 out of 11 Judges are now stationed in Leidschendam.
12.
The Judges have reduced the staff to be recruited in this first year to a minimum: four
legal officers (2 P5, 1 P4 and 1 P2) are working for the three Judges and a personal assistant
serves the whole of Chambers.
13.
In carrying out his management functions within the STL, the President has been able
to ensure a coordinated approach among the various Organs through regular meetings of the
Senior Management Board (SMB). Composed of the President, the Prosecutor, the Head of
the Defence Office and the Registrar, the SMB has met regularly since the Tribunal’s
inception to discuss and decide upon a number of issues concerning the STL’s management
and activities.
14.
To maximize the presence of specialists in the various organs of the Tribunal and to
prepare the necessary legal reflection on general themes that are likely to be tackled by those
organs, the President has organised a set of 14 informal seminars (open to all Tribunal staff)
where presentations are made followed by a discussion (all those attending these seminars
speak in their personal capacity and in a non-committal manner).
3
(D)
Work in Progress
15.
In the next six months the President, in consultation with the other Judges, plans to:
3.
(i)
Draft and issue three Practice Directions (on the Filing of Documents; on
Depositions and Taking Witness Statements for use in Court; and on VideoConference Links) and one internal Protocol (on Conducting Official Court
hearings offsite). These documents should smooth the passage to the second
stage (submission of indictments by the Prosecutor and initiation of activity by
the Pre-Trial Judge and possibly the Appeals Chamber in the event of
interlocutory appeals being submitted). Furthermore, they should ensure
greater legal certainty and uniformity in the work of the Tribunal as a whole;
(ii)
Encourage as many States as possible to ratify the Draft Agreement on Legal
Cooperation referred to above, and to this end to contact the Ambassadors of
the relevant States in The Hague or in Brussels. Should the existence of
cumbersome domestic legislative procedures make it difficult for States to
ratify and implement the Draft Agreement, an attempt will be made to urge
States to consider the Draft Agreement as a general legal framework from
which to draw informally in order to entertain working relations with the
Tribunal on an ad hoc basis;
(iii)
Hold a second plenary meeting of the Judges in late October 2009;
(iv)
Issue a collection of the Basic Documents of the Tribunal, so as to make
available the most important documents relating to the Tribunal in the three
official languages of the Tribunal; and
(v)
If the Prosecutor considers that an indictment is soon forthcoming, recruit
essential additional staff. In addition, the President and some senior staff will
pay a visit to Lebanon, to meet with senior State officials there and address
cooperation and other matters.
Registry
16.
The Registry plays a crucial role, being responsible for the administration and the
servicing of the various organs of the Tribunal. It is notable that, even prior to the STL’s
official commencement (1 March 2009) considerable administrative work was undertaken.
This was done by an Advance Team, whose work allowed for a smooth start to the Registry’s
operations.
17.
Much of the early success of the STL can be credited to the hard work of Mr Robin
Vincent, who was the first Registrar of the STL until his resignation in late June 2009. Mr
Herman von Hebel served as Acting Registrar until Mr David Tolbert commenced his duties
as the new Registrar on 26 August 2009. We look forward to the strong leadership and role
he will play in the STL’s future development.
4
(A)
Normative Output
18.
Before the STL opened, a basic administrative framework had been established. Thus:
(i) the STL Headquarters Agreement between the Government of the Netherlands and the
United Nations was signed in December 2007 and formally approved by the Government in
December 2008; (ii) STL Staff Rules and Regulations and Financial Rules and Regulations
were put in place; and (iii) a health insurance and pension scheme for staff through the
UNJSPF was implemented.
19.
Since 1 March 2009, various additional instruments have been finalized: (i) a
Memorandum of Understanding concerning the Beirut field office was signed in June with
the Government of Lebanon; and (ii) a Code of Conduct for staff members was developed
and put into effect.
(B)
Practical Measures
20.
In the period prior to the Tribunal’s opening a number of practical measures were put
in place by the Advance Team:
(i)
The lease of the STL building was signed with the Government of the
Netherlands (rent-free occupancy agreement commenced 1 June 2008) and
certain essential services (GS, IT and Security) were set up;
(ii)
The necessary security requirements were put in place for the STL building;
(iii)
A Detention Unit was established, which was required in order to be prepared
for the possible transfer of persons detained in Lebanon in connection with the
Hariri case;
(iv)
Arrangements were put in place to ensure the smooth transition of the UNIIIC
into the Office of the Prosecutor;and
(v)
The STL Liaison Office in New York was established to assist the
Management Committee in its work, and to ensure effective communication
between the STL and the MC.
21.
Since 1 March 2009, the Registry has engaged in intense activity on a number of
fronts:
(i)
Outreach: A new website in all three official languages of the STL was
launched. The website is a source of information for press and public, and
includes background documents, fact sheets, press releases and other basic
information. Work to improve the website is presently ongoing.
(ii)
Construction of the courtroom: The construction plan was finalized and
construction is on schedule (it is expected to be finalized by February 2010
after which the necessary courtroom IT systems will be installed).
5
(C)
(iii)
Diplomatic efforts: Good relationships with the diplomatic community in The
Hague have been established. Fundraising, witness relocation and enforcement
agreements have been raised at every opportunity. Similar endeavours have
also been undertaken by the STL Liaison Officer in New York, with a special
effort being made to reach out to a Group of Interested States.
(iv)
Host State matters: The Registry has established an excellent relationship with
the Host State. From the very beginning the STL has enjoyed The
Netherlands’ strong support in areas such as the Tribunal’s building, external
security, detention, the issuance of visa and residence permits, and other
matters.
(v)
Beirut office: In Beirut, the Registry’s main focus has been on the setting up of
the Field Office. The STL signed the lease agreement in April. The office is
already in use by STL staff and required construction works have been
finalized.
(vi)
Victims and Witnesses Section: This section has started to develop the
operational framework to facilitate witness movement for trial and the STL’s
ability to protect witnesses. It has also started establishing operational
networks in relevant locations and has focused on obtaining assistance from
States regarding witness protection. Assistance from States, in the form of
witness relocation agreements and assistance in relation to protection of
witnesses, is of vital importance for the success of the Tribunal. Although
many countries have already been approached, the results so far have not yet
borne fruit. The demanding operational environment and subsequent witness
protection concerns, as well as the adequacy of State cooperation, remain the
main challenges for the section.
Recruitment of Staff
22.
In the first half of 2009 good progress was made in respect of recruitment. A total of
200 staff are on board as of 31 August 2009. Fifty nationalities are represented presently at
the STL, the gender distribution as of 31 August being 36% female and 64% male.
23.
An internship programme was also launched in May thanks to the availability of EC
funding. The first interns have already come on board within all organs of the STL.
(D)
Work in Progress
24.
The Registry aims to uphold positive and trusting working relationships with all staff
of the STL by creating a culture of open dialogue, transparency and mutual respect.
Moreover, it will focus on reaching out to the Lebanese people and the victims of the Hariri
and related attacks.
6
25.
The priority within the Registry for the coming months are:
(i)
Finalization of the construction of the courtroom;
(ii)
Recruitment of OTP staff to facilitate its surge in investigations;
(iii)
Finalization of a press and outreach strategy. In particular, steps are being
taken to strengthen the STL’s Outreach efforts, including participation in
training programmes for journalists organized by third parties such as the BBC
World Service, and the deployment of an outreach officer in the Beirut Office,
as well as the development of materials to be used to explain the STL and its
work in Lebanon;
(iv)
The Registrar has commenced a review of outreach strategy, with a view to
further identifying outreach opportunities and is committed to devoting
additional resources to this effort;
(v)
Negotiation and conclusion of witness relocation agreements.
4.
Office of the Prosecutor
(A)
General
26.
In the first six months of operations, the OTP has overcome the operational challenges
associated with relocating the base of an ongoing complex terrorist investigation from Beirut
to The Hague. At the same time, the OTP has launched an operational surge aimed at
increasing the pace of the investigation. This has been accompanied by a strengthening of the
Prosecution Division; the involvement of Trial Counsel in the investigative phase of the
OTP’s work will enable them to help shape and organize an eventual prosecution.
(B)
STL
Relocation of the Investigation and Application for Deferral of the Case to the
27.
The OTP began its operations when the Prosecutor assumed his functions, on 1 March
2009, upon the official launch of the STL, and the day after the mandate of the United
Nations International Independent Investigation Commission (UNIIIC) came to an end.
28.
The start-up phase involved many operational challenges associated with relocating
the investigation to a new organization based in The Hague. These included the need to
complete the recruitment of staff, which had started in Beirut. The OTP made it a priority to
ensure that it gathered the most qualified and experienced staff. Other challenges faced and
overcome included the transfer of all data and holdings from UNIIIC in Beirut to the STL,
maintaining chain of custody throughout; the establishment of an operating framework,
standard operating procedures, and team structures; and, ensuring appropriate logistical
support.
7
29.
On 25 March 2009, the day after the Rules were made public, the Prosecutor filed his
application pursuant to Article 4(2) of the Statute of the Tribunal and Rule 17, requesting the
issuance of an Order to the Lebanese authorities for the deferral of their jurisdiction over the
Hariri file to the Tribunal, the transfer to the Prosecutor of the results of the investigation
with a copy of the court’s record, and the presentation to the Pre-Trial Judge of a list of all
individuals detained in connection with the Hariri file. On 27 March, the Pre-Trial Judge
issued the requested Order. On 8 April, the Lebanese authorities formally deferred the case of
the investigation into the killing of Rafiq Hariri and others to the Tribunal. They also
provided a list of the detained individuals, which
was transmitted to the Prosecutor for his reasoned submission on whether he would seek their
continued detention or their release.
30.
On 27 April 2009, the Prosecutor filed his reasoned submission on the issue of the
detention of the four individuals physically in custody. The submission was based on
materials already in the possession of the OTP from UNIIIC, as well as a review of more than
22,000 pages of documentation transferred from the Lebanese authorities, the majority of
which was handwritten and in Arabic. The review itself took over 1,200 hours to complete
and required almost all the investigative resources of the OTP. On the basis of the
Prosecutor’s submission, the Pre-Trial Judge ordered the release of the four Generals on 29
April.
(C)
Taking the Lead in the Investigation
31.
Since April 2009, the OTP has had primacy over the Lebanese authorities in the
Hariri investigation. In leading the investigation, the OTP is operating under a new legal
framework contained in the Tribunal’s Statute and its Rules of Procedure and Evidence. At
the same time, it continues to work on collecting evidence on potentially related attacks that
were within the mandate of UNIIIC. Among its investigative tools, the OTP has created and
activated a secure webpage for public use, which has been designed as a secure and
confidential means to contact the Investigation Division in the OTP.
(D)
Surge in the Investigation
32.
The OTP identified the need for a 12-month surge in order to increase the pace of the
investigation. As soon as the surge was approved, an intensive recruitment drive was
launched. Despite the summer holiday period, 80 percent of the new staff members were
recruited by 31 August. All should be on board by the end of September or October,
depending on notice requirements. The Chief of Prosecutions took up his position on 24
August, joining one Senior Trial Counsel who arrived at the end of April. A second Senior
Trial Counsel and four mid-level and junior Trial Counsel are under recruitment.
33.
On 1 July, the Head of the OTP in the Beirut Field Office, an experienced
investigator, took up his position in Beirut. With his arrival and that of other investigators,
including some recruited as part of the surge, the Office is becoming a fully operational
adjunct of the Investigation Division in The Hague.
8
34.
In the first six months of operations, the OTP has conducted 46 missions and over 180
complex interviews, in Lebanon and other States, each requiring extensive preparation and
follow-up.
(E)
Cooperation with States and other International Organisations
35.
Over 120 formal requests for assistance have been sent to Lebanon and other States.
Although States have been generally supportive, a number of these requests remain
unanswered. Systematic follow-up has been initiated, therefore, in Lebanon and with other
States, through their respective Embassies in The Hague.
36.
On 5 June 2009, the STL Prosecutor and the Lebanese Minister of Justice entered into
a Memorandum of Understanding on the modalities of their cooperation. On 12 June 2009,
the Lebanese authorities issued a decree formally appointing Judge Jocelyne Tabet as Deputy
Prosecutor. Judge Tabet is an experienced member of the Lebanese judiciary and is expected
to take up her position in The Hague in September.
37.
The OTP has made a strong contribution to the drafting of an Interim Agreement with
INTERPOL, entered into by the President on behalf of the Tribunal, which should facilitate
the OTP’s work. It has also provided critical input into a formal Agreement to be entered into
with that Organisation.
(F)
Public Information and Outreach
38.
In light of the high public interest in the STL, particularly in the investigation, and the
specifics of the media environment in Lebanon and the region, the OTP identified public
information and outreach as one of its priority areas of activity from the outset. It accordingly
designed its own outreach strategy which aims at promoting the integrity of the investigation
and public confidence in the work of the OTP, emphasising, in particular, the nonpoliticisation of the OTP (and of the STL more generally).
39.
The OTP, through the Prosecutor’s Spokesperson, conducts regular media monitoring
and analysis in relation to OTP activities and is in constant contact with the Lebanese press,
responding to inquiries relating to the investigation.
5.
Defence Office
(A)
General
40.
Pursuant to Article 13(2) of the STL Statute, the Defence Office is entrusted with
important tasks, in particular: “to protect the rights of the defence”, and to “provide support
and assistance to defence counsel.” In discharging his duties, the Head of the Office has
already:
9
(i)
(ii)
(B)
Prepared the legal infrastructure for the assignment of counsel;
Set in motion the process for establishing a panel of lawyers who will be
available to defendants;
(iii)
Established contacts with the Lebanese Bar Associations;
(iv)
Met with both the lawyers of the four detained Lebanese Generals and three of
such detainees, with a view to better protecting their rights; and
(v)
Initiated the recruitment of the necessary staff.
Normative Output
41.
The Defence Office presented a Directive on the Assignment of Defence Counsel to
the Judges, who adopted it during the March 2009 Plenary.
(C)
Establishment of a Panel of Lawyers
42.
An essential task will be to ensure that a defendant can choose a lawyer freely from a
List of Counsel which should reflect different legal traditions and be composed of highly
competent and experienced criminal advocates. To be admitted to the List, applicants need to
be interviewed by an Admission Panel, which is a novelty in international tribunals. By
August 2009, 110 persons had fulfilled all the application requirements. They will be
interviewed by the Admission Panel later this year. Since the number of applicants from
Lebanon is below par, efforts are underway to attract more Lebanese counsel to apply to the
List.
(D)
Contacts with the Lebanese Bar Associations and Defence Counsel
43.
A close working relationship with the Lebanese bar associations and their members is
important for the STL. The Defence Office has travelled to Beirut twice to foster this
relationship. In April, the Head of Defence Office met with the President of the Beirut Bar
and a large number of lawyers to explain the role and function of the Defence Office. In July,
the Head of the Defence Office returned to Beirut to host a seminar for members of the Beirut
Bar Association. The Defence Office Coordinator has also participated in a separate seminar
in Beirut on the Rules of Procedure and Evidence.
(E)
Protecting the Rights of Detainees
44.
The overriding duty of the Defence Office is to protect the rights of the Defence,
including any detainees held under the jurisdiction of the Tribunal. When Lebanon deferred
jurisdiction over the Hariri case to the STL, the Head of Defence Office met with three of the
four detainees and their counsel in Beirut and appointed a privately retained Defence Counsel
for any representation before the STL. Moreover, having witnessed the conditions of
10
detention, the Defence Office requested that the President ensure that certain fundamental
rights of the detainees be protected. As a result, the President issued an order on their
conditions of detention.
Significantly, during the proceedings on the fate of the four detainees, the Head of Defence
Office requested the Pre-Trial Judge to order their release forthwith. On the day of the order,
the four detainees were released safely from their custody in Lebanon.
(F)
Recruitment of Staff
45.
During the past six months the Defence Office has been staffed with a Coordinator
and an administrative assistant. The Head of the Defence Office has served on a part-time
basis, dedicating several days a month to the STL, and will assume his duties full-time in
November 2009. Recruitment has proceeded for two Legal Officers, one of whom will join
the Office in September.
(G)
Work in Progress
46.
In order to provide adequate legal advisory services to Defence Counsel, the Defence
Office, in conjunction with some consultants, is commencing a project to develop a number
of legal tools. It will also adopt a Legal Aid policy and finalise a draft Code of Conduct for
Counsel.
6.
Conclusion
(A)
What has been Accomplished in Six Months?
47.
All those who work for the STL can take pride in a number of achievements attained
over the past six months:
(i)
The rapid approval of the Rules of Procedure and Evidence, a set of legal
provisions carefully tailored to the special features of the Tribunal, and which
indeed constitute a fully-fledged “code of criminal procedure” exhibiting
many novelties compared to other international “codes”;
(ii)
The deferral of jurisdiction by Lebanon and the quick submission by the
Prosecutor of a motion concerning the detention in Lebanon of four Lebanese
generals, and the similarly rapid issuance by the Pre-Trial Judge of various
orders on the matter;
(iii)
The intense contacts of the Head of the Defence Office with the Lebanese bar
associations and Lebanese lawyers at large; his insistence on meeting both the
four Generals in gaol and their lawyers, as well as his submission to the
Tribunal’s President of a motion to better safeguard the rights of those
detainees;
11
(iv)
The stepping up by the Prosecutor of his investigations so as to expeditiously
submit indictments to the Pre-Trial Judge;
(v)
The Registry’s efficient preparations for the establishment of all the necessary
practical infrastructures including the setting up of a courtroom (due to be
finalised by February 2010 after which the necessary courtroom IT systems
will be installed), as well as the recruitment of relatively few but highly
competent and experienced staff, thereby affirming a commitment to both
cost-effectiveness and efficiency; and
(vi)
The unreserved cooperation lent by the Government of Lebanon to the various
organs of the Tribunal.
(B)
What Next?
48.
In the next six months we are determined to:
(i)
Bring to completion all legal and practical infrastructures, so as to make the
Tribunal ready for prompt and proper administration of justice;
(ii)
Intensify our outreach programme, in order to have an increasingly great
impact on the Lebanese legal profession and public opinion; and
(iii)
Encourage as many States as possible to ratify the comprehensive Draft
Agreement on Legal Cooperation with the Tribunal, already circulated to
Governments, or at least to consider this Draft Agreement as the general legal
framework guiding relations of States with the Tribunal on a case by case
basis.
49.
We are keenly aware of the challenges and the major hurdles we are and will be
facing. In particular, the Tribunal must meet two formidable challenges. One is that the
Tribunal is the first international judicial institution to adjudicate responsibility for terrorism
as a distinct crime. International terrorism is a protean notion, difficult to handle, also
because there are only a few international treaties and limited case law from which to draw.
However, through reliance on Lebanese law and any relevant international standards, the
Tribunal should prove to be able to apply a sound and generally acceptable notion of
terrorism in a well-balanced manner. The second major challenge is that the Tribunal is the
first international criminal court operating within the Arab world. So far, many Arab
countries have shown scant interest in, and in some instances have even cast a suspicious
glance at, supranational criminal justice. To make them fully amenable to this judicial system
one must show beyond any reasonable doubt that international justice can be impartial, fair
and immune from any political or ideological bias.
50.
We therefore intend to dispense justice free from any political or ideological fetter
and based on full respect for the rights of both the victims and the defendants. By doing so
we might set the stage for future and broader resort to international criminal institutions to
fend off terrorism.
12
51.
To be sure, ours will not be an easy task. We are aware that we are treading an uphill
path, but we are determined to quickly do justice in a fair manner. We are also so ambitious
as to hope to set a precedent for efficient and inexpensive international justice. We are
actuated by what the German philosopher Hegel once called “the enthusiasm of the mind”
(Enthusiasmus des Geistes). With the support and the cooperation of Lebanon and other
States, we will be able to attain our goals.
13